Fruit-gatherer.



Patented Jan. 2, H9001.

U. A. NORLUND.

FRUIT GATHERER.

(Application filed Oct. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

jaw S by means of suitable rivets.

STATES- amnrrr rrrcn.

OIJOF A. NOHIJUND, OF CEDAR RUN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIAIJFTO GEORGE A. GAMBLE, OF SAME PLACE.

RUlT G/M'HERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,485, dated January2, 1900.

Application filed October 6, 1899. Serial No. 732,709. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, OLOF A. NORLUND,a resident of Cedar Run, in thecounty of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Fruit- Gatherers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention,such aswill enableothersskilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in fruit-gatherers, the object ofthe invention be ing to provide a fruit-gatherer with improvedcutting-jaws which will be maintained normally apart and which can bereadily operated to bring the jaws together and cut the stems of thefruit and permit the fruit to fall into the gather-er.

IVith this object in view the invention con sists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, aswill be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing thejaws open. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the jaws closed. Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail view illustrating the spring pivotal point of thejaws, and Figs. 4c and 5 are views of a modified form of my invention.

A represents a post or handle, preferably of wood, on the upper end ofwhich is mounted a metal sleeve 1, provided with an upwardlyprojectingarm 2, secured to a semicircular The arm 2 is bent between its ends toform a housing a to inclose a coiled spring 5, mounted on a pivot-pin 6,passing, respectively, through the arm 2, jaw 3, and through a ring 7,one side of which is sharpened and forms a jaw 3 to cooperate with thejaw 3 to cut the fruitstems, and the other portion of said ring forms abail 8 for operating the jaws, as will now be explained. its ends to theother end of the jaw 3,as shown.

A flexible sleeve 9 is secured at its upper end to the jaws 3 and 3 andconnected be tween its ends to the bail 8, so that when the jaws are intheir open position, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the sleeve 9 will betaut against the bail and loose between the ball The ring 7 is pivotedbetween 8 and jaw 23 and against the jaw 3, so that a downward pull onthe sleeve 9 will pull the bail 8 down, and hence force the jaw 3 upinto contact with the jaw 3 and sever the stems of the fruit and compelthe fruit to fall into the sleeve, and when the sleeve is re leased thebail 8 will spring up and the parts assume their normal positions due tothe spring 5, one end of which is passed through a hole in jaw 3 and theother end bent to form a hook 10, which engages one edge of the arm 2,forming the housing for the spring, as clearly shown. A suitable lug orprojection 11 is provided on jaw 3 to form a stop, against which the jaw3 strikes to limit its move ment.

Instead of constructing my improved gatherer as above described I mightmake the same as shown in Figs. 4: and 5. In this form of my inventioninstead of providing the jaw 3 with the bail 8 an outwardly-projectingarm 12 is secured to one end of the jaw 3 and is provided with a hole 13in its outer end for the reception of a cord 14 for operating the jaw.In this form of my invention the flexible sleeve will be secured to thejaws, so that when the jaws are forced together the fruit will beinclosed in the sleeve.

It will be seen that in both forms of my invention the spring 5 isinclosed in the housing 4,which will effectually prevent the spring frombecoming clogged by fragments of leaves and twigs, which would be thecase were the spring not so protected.

Various other slight changes might be resorted to in the general formand arrangement of the several parts described without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I would have itunderstood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details setforth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes andalterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fruit-gatherer, the combination with two jaws pivotallyconnected together and a not secured to the respective jaws, of an armhaving its upper end bent to form a housing,

' a pole, a semicircular bail and a ring pivotally attached atdiametrically opposite points to the ends of said hail, of a tubular armprovided at its upper end with an extension bent to form a housing, saidhousing fixed to said bail and a spring disposed within said housing andhaving its ends secured respectively to the housing and said ring.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

OLOF A. NORLUND.

Witnesses:

CORA HILBoRN, OoRA STALCUP.

